Undercover Michigan police officers can no longer legally have sex with prostitutes

LANSING, MI - Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed legislation officially outlawing police having sex with prostitutes on duty by removing an exemption that previously blocked their prosecution.

"Every day the brave men and women in Michigan's law enforcement community work tirelessly to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Michiganders," Snyder said. "These bills help ensure the ongoing integrity and accountability of our law enforcement system by clarifying what actions officers are exempt from while performing their official duties."

The governor signed two bills - House Bill 4355 and Senate Bill 275, sponsored by Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, and Sen. Judy Emmons, R-Sheridan, to stop it. The bills undo a provision that until now has prevented police officers from being prosecuted for prostitution offenses committed while on duty.

Police agencies have said they do not use the law allowing undercover officers to have sex during an investigation, and do not train officers in it.

It appears such a situation has come up at least once in Michigan, when a Kalamazoo officer engaged in oral sex with a suspected prostitute in 2003 during the course of an investigation.

Glenn said in a press release last month it would help protect victims of human trafficking.

"Michigan will no longer have the stigma of being the last state in the country that unintentionally exempts police officers who have sex with prostitutes during an investigation from prosecution," Glenn said. "This common sense legislation has received significant bipartisan support because it protects our law enforcement and victims of sex-based crimes."